MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The results of a poll sent to team members of the World Champion BBQ Cooking Contest earlier this week are in, and one of Memphis in May's signature event will look to host its 2024 contest at Liberty Park.
In an email to team members obtained by ABC24, Memphis in May organizers said 77% of teams voted to move the event from Tom Lee Park on the Memphis riverfront to Liberty Park, where the 2022 event was held. They also confirmed they will not return to Tom Lee Park in 2024.
"The results were clear that most teams want to see the event held at the Fairgrounds at Liberty Park as the alternate venue since our long-time home downtown in Tom Lee Park is not available to us next year," Memphis in May organizers said in the email.
Memphis in May said the World Champion BBQ Cooking Contest won't return to its signature riverfront location in 2024 after it experienced "difficulties" with Memphis River Parks Partnership, the operators of Tom Lee Park.
Notably, the competition mentioned the $1.4 million restoration bill sent by Memphis River Parks after the festival, which they said was mostly tied to the BBQ competition. Memphis River Parks later filed a lawsuit against Memphis in May for $675,000 in unpaid damages. The competition cited Memphis River Parks as the reason they don't want to return to Tom Lee Park.
"We are currently looking at the Fairgrounds at Liberty Park for the 2024 [World Champion BBQ Cooking Contest], where we previously held the event in 2011 and in 2022, as this seems to be the best available option," Memphis in May said in the letter. "There are no viable locations to hold the event downtown or on the riverfront other than Tom Lee Park, and we no longer see TLP as a viable venue while Memphis River Parks Partnership has control of the park."
We've reached out to Memphis River Parks Partnership, but have yet to receive a response.